State Trails Grants Fund Two McKinley County Recreation Projects
On December 2, 2025 the New Mexico Economic Development Department announced roughly $3.2 million in Trails Plus grants for 18 projects statewide, including two awards that benefit McKinley County. The grants will fund a children's bike pump track in Navajo Townsite and upgrades to nine Zuni trailheads with cultural signage and a youth trail crew, projects that aim to expand outdoor access and support local jobs.
The New Mexico Economic Development Department on December 2 announced a statewide round of Trails Plus funding totaling about $3.2 million for 18 projects. Two grants will directly affect McKinley County communities. The Navajo Townsite Community Development Corporation received about $33,000 to build a children's bike pump track intended to serve a growing Navajo mountain biking community. The Zuni Youth Enrichment Project received just under $100,000 to renovate nine trailheads, install cultural and educational signage from a Zuni perspective, and train a youth trail crew.
State officials identified the round as supporting trail restoration, bike parks, campgrounds and other outdoor infrastructure, and said these projects will help create jobs while broadening access to public lands and recreation. The Economic Development Department's Outdoor Recreation program has posted the official list of FY26 awardees, showing how the statewide allocation is divided among urban and rural projects.
For McKinley County, the grants could produce near term construction and maintenance work and longer term benefits from increased outdoor visitation. A children's pump track can provide a safe, local place for families and youth to learn bike skills, while renovated trailheads and culturally framed signage aim to make public lands more welcoming and informative for Zuni residents and visitors. Training a youth trail crew builds local capacity for trail maintenance and creates an entry point to outdoor careers.
These projects also raise governance and oversight questions that matter to residents. Grant funded infrastructure requires ongoing maintenance funding and clear management roles. Tribal and municipal authorities, nonprofit grant recipients and state agencies will need to coordinate on land access, stewardship plans and performance metrics so investments deliver promised economic and community outcomes. Transparent timelines, spending reports and community engagement are essential to ensure the projects serve local priorities.
Residents and tribal leaders in McKinley County will want to track implementation, attend public planning sessions when they are scheduled, and request information about timelines and maintenance plans. If executed with local input and clear oversight, the pump track and trailhead upgrades could strengthen outdoor opportunities, provide youth training and support small local businesses that serve recreation visitors.
